Hunted
by SebastianGirl1994
Summary: "Your name?"... "Melissa Gilbert."... "You're being hunted."... "I'm being followed and threatened. He's always texting me, threatening my family. It's too much, I can't take it anymore!"... "Your wish?"... "Please…banish them to hell for me!"... "Your grievance shall be avenged…."


**Hey. This is my first story about Hell Girl so I hope you all like it :)**

* * *

I walked slowly into school, my phone held tight in my right hand. The text was still visible, the words etched into my mind. I couldn't seem to see past the threat.

_You still don't understand my feelings. Your sister looks pretty…maybe I should paint her red with her own blood? Xxx_

The texts had started two or three months ago, love notes really and I had thought they were sweet. But then…they started asking me strange questions. It had been a rather obsessive view of me and I didn't like it. When I had ignored them, they had started threatening me. Telling me they would show me what undying love meant. They told me they would keep us together in the great beyond…through our mutual deaths. Today they had threatened my sister…my younger sister.

"Melissa!" a voice called out and I jumped, dropping my phone on the ground where the screen cracked.

My partner for nearly all subjects walked closer and smiled at me, her face the same colour as coffee. Her hair was braided tight to her head. She caught my hand but I pulled free to pick up my phone again. The message was still visible so I turned it off and stuck it in my pocket. I caught my finger on a piece of the glass so I pulled it out quickly to see the damage.

"Damn," I muttered as I put my finger to my mouth to suck at the blood.

"Are you a vampire now?" she asked. Her name was Amber, named after the colour of her eyes.

"No, my phone broke," I mumbled around my finger before I looked at it again.

"Well, Mrs Dawson wants a word about the upcoming cheering contest," Amber said with a giggle, "you know, like before class?"

"Oh sure," I answered, "will you tell Mr Donovan that I'll be a couple of minutes late?"

"Sure babz," she replied before she waved to me. She took her phone out and started texting, probably to her boyfriend before the bell sounded.

I stood there for a moment longer, the message playing on in my head. It was probably some stupid prank, a joke really. I just hadn't seen the funny side of it. I walked towards the school and wiped my feet on the welcome mat before I went to the gym.

Mrs Dawson had gotten us new uniforms, with shorts and small tank tops that showed off our midriffs. Not that it mattered, since the sessions were held privately and no one that wasn't Mrs Dawson or a cheerleader was allowed in. Though the PE teacher, Ms Goldberg, was given a key. The new uniforms must have been delivered if I was being called this early.

"Mrs D?" I called out and a small brunette rounded the corner.

"Ah, Melissa," Mrs D said with a smile, "I have your uniform in the office. I sent a message to all the girls to collect them before today's class."

"Oh," I took out my broken phone, "I didn't get a message."

"I tried calling but your phone kept saying it was inactive. I sent Amber," Mrs D stated before she beckoned me closer.

She brought me into her office where a box was waiting for me on her desk. I picked it up and lifted the lid to see underneath. It was black with diamond detail on the arms and stick on glitter.

"The idea came from your tattoo," Mrs D said as I looked at the top, "the star. I got temporary tattoos for the other girls that look similar to yours. I think it will add a bit of…difference."

She dismissed me after that and I stuck the box into my small carry-all. I ran to Biology and got there before the teacher. Amber was sitting at our table so I slipped into the seat beside her.

"He's late," she mumbled as she used her protractor to scratch into the surface of our desk, "I hate that."

"It's nothing," I said softly.

"Students," Mr Donovan said from the doorway as he walked in, "I have here a pop-quiz on the chapter I asked you all to study last night. Clear your desks and prepare yourselves."

"I thought he was joking!" a boy snapped.

"Did you study it?"

"No!"

"We had a chapter to read?"

"Did you read it?" Amber asked me and I nodded, "why?"

"It was the only homework I had last night," I said with a simple shrug.

I heard Amber push too deep into the wood of our table and got her protractor stuck. Mr Donovan ignored the metal addition and handed us the quizzes. I read through the questions and started answering them quickly, certain I got over half of them right. I finished before everyone else, so I saw the panicked stares at the floor. Some of the students had dropped their books open there but no sooner had they looked down that Mr Donovan was over to close them.

"You lose 20% if I find a biology book open under your table," he said to everyone.

* * *

The day floated by like a dream after that test. I had Maths and then History. It was close to summer so teachers had decided to go easier on the homework levels. But that meant study, which didn't particularly bother me. I didn't like studying for hours but it was better than essays on dictatorships…

At the end of the day I went to the gym and undressed before putting on my new costume. It was a pair of tight-fitted shorts; the uniform was black to show off the diamonds sewn in. Our runners were black and bought specially for us from an overseas seller. I was the first one dressed with my hair tied up. Next was Naomi and then Veronica, or Ron as her friends called her. The others trickled out until all that was left was Amber. She came out staggering, her eyes wider than normal. I didn't need to be near her to know she had drunk something.

"Amber!" Mrs D snapped as the teacher walked over to the student, "have you been drinking?"

"I just needed some Dutch courage," she mumbled before she staggered over to us.

"Go home, Amber," Mrs D said calmly, "and know I'll tell your parents about this incident."

"That's unfair!" Amber snapped, "Shouldn't you punish the person who gave me the drink?!"

"Who gave you it then?" Mrs D asked.

"Ron's boyfriend," Amber replied, "he sat outside. And I can't go home, Melissa's my lift…"

"Girls, start your routine," Mrs D ordered and I moved closer to the group.

"We want to end with someone being thrown up and getting caught," I said and they nodded, "that should beat the Energy Angels from London."

"Go Starlets!" Helena said with a smile to me.

We started the routine without music before I turned on the stereo. Amber stayed on the benches near someone with a hood covering them. I took it to be Amber's brother or sister as I was thrown into the air. They caught me and I ended with the splits before the girls started cheering. I got up and each of the girls hugged me tight.

"We'll win this time!" Denise said with a giggle.

"Let's call this meeting of the Starlets over," I said and they all cheered before we went for the showers.

* * *

I was the last one out, dressing into my civilian clothes. I lifted my carry-all and nearly missed the flutter of a piece of paper fall to the floor. I stopped to pick it up and opened it. Inside was a note…with a strange smell coming off it. It must be a weird cologne. I sniffed it but the smell still didn't seem to register as I read the note. Every fibre in my body was screaming at me to run. The words danced off the pages as I dropped it.

_You were so pretty today…you're the star of the show. Meet me at midnight in the park, so we can be together forever…I love you Melissa…. Xxx_

I ran out, leaving the note there. The gym held only Amber who was waiting for me. She stood and walked over to me, and I felt myself shiver. This person was freaking me out. They had put that note on my bag while I had been training or in the shower.

"Hey, you alright?" Amber asked as she got closer.

"Yeah," I whispered, "let's go."

She nodded and we walked out to my car. I drove a small Fiat to school as it was all my parents could afford to run along with their Ford. Amber got into the passenger seat and I opened up the driver's door. I was about to sit in when Amber pushed me out a bit.

"What's this?" she asked and I turned to see a new phone, pale pink with a star attached to the end. I lifted it and saw it had a text message. I opened it and froze.

_Does my love repulse you? It shouldn't xxx Tonight will be the ending…_

"Melissa?" Amber asked and I closed the phone, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said too soft for the words to mean anything, "why are they so obsessed about me?"

I got into my car and put the phone in the glove compartment before I drove out. That phone hadn't been there when I had arrived and only I and my mum had keys to my car. Mum wouldn't have known my phone was broke…so it had to be the freak texting me. Freak seemed like an adequate term considering he thought there was a relationship between us. I had dated a boy named Josh up until recently and the texter had gone berserk, telling me to break up with Josh or they'd break me. It was a possessive quality…and not one that was appealing.

I dropped Amber home before I drove myself. The text this morning, the note, the new phone…it all seemed a tad much. I didn't like this attention, and it wasn't something I could explain. I had told Amber at the start but she had put it down as a simple crush, so when this happened…I had stayed quiet. I was too scared to tell anyone. Which was most likely the wrong thing to do.

"I need to tell someone," I whispered as I drove through streets without seeing names.

But who could I tell that I had a creepy stalker? That it had stopped being nice weeks ago? No one that was what I came down to. Who could I tell that I was scared? My mother would think it was Josh having a laugh, Dad would say it was a boy thing and Sarah would say 'Melly has a bestie!' at the top of her lungs for weeks. She was only five after all…that's why that text scared me. What did this weirdo want with my baby sister?

I parked outside my home and got out quickly, not liking the idea of standing outside longer than necessary when this nutjob was still active. I pulled my bag up my shoulder, pulled the new phone from the car as I ran to the door, opened it and braced my back against it once I was inside.

"Melly!" Sarah called as she rounded the corner in a Disney Princess costume.

"Who are you today?" I asked her as she pulled at her black hair.

"I'm Princess Jasmine!" she said so I dropped to one knee, put a hand over my heart and ducked my head. My heart was hammering but I couldn't let Sarah see there was something wrong. She couldn't understand this…

"I am so sorry, your highness, that I didn't immediately recognise you," I said with mock woe, "do you want a peanut-butter sandwich to appease you?"

"Yeah!" she said as she ran into the kitchen, "Mama! Melly is making me a PBS!"

"I wish you wouldn't feed her before dinner," Mum said as she stirred her pot.

"It's what the loyal servant of Princess Jasmine would do," I replied as I took the jar down and pulled out some bread, "it makes her happy."

I made the sandwich and she ran off to watch Barbie so I snuck off to my computer to write a practise essay for English. Mr Madison had suggested it to practise for the summer tests and if any of us did, he would correct them for us. I wondered what I would write mine about as I opened up a blank document and ran my hand along the enter key.

"What to write about?" I asked myself.

The pink phone beeped and I ignored it. But it beeped constantly so I picked it up and opened it. Texts were filling the small memory quickly and they were about my sister. About tonight and what would happen if I didn't show up. They would hurt my sister…to show me how deep their love ran.

_She's a kid!_

_But my love, it shows you the depth of my love xx_

_You touch her and I will hunt you down_

_Meet me at midnight xxx_

_No_

_I'll hurt her… xx_

_You won't be able to touch her. I won't let you…_

_You leave for school… xx_

_Is that a threat?_

_Meet me xxx_

I put the phone down and felt my heart racing. I wasn't going to meet them…they wanted to show me what undying love was…and I didn't like the sound of that…

* * *

I opened my car door and pulled out my umbrella. It was pouring this morning which had made driving near impossible and very dangerous. There were a lot of crazies out there when the weather turned. Amber was under the awning waiting for me so I ran to her.

"Sorry," she whispered when I reached her and put down my umbrella, "about yesterday."

"It's alright," I said to her, "I'll teach you the steps tonight if you want?"

"Can't," she mumbled, "mummy dearest is making me eat with the outlaws tonight and I have to be out of here at half three. So no lift."

"That's fine," I said simply.

No lift meant I could go straight home. I had eventually turned the pink phone off and gone to bed but the next morning, it had been gone from my bedside locker and two blankets had been wrapped around me. I had asked Mum and Dad about that and they had suggested the idea that I must have been too tired to notice when I put the blankets on myself. I had gone back up to my room and found a picture stuck on my uniform. A picture of a baby pink room with white roses painted on the borders.

The girl had been snuggled deep into blankets, her short blonde hair gone slightly askew and her eyes had been closed in sleep. It had been time stamped for half two that morning…which meant the mystery texter had upped their game. They had gotten into my home, took my picture and left it for me to find. But I was certain when I had looked for the phone…it hadn't been there at eight. It was only when I had gone back up to my room to get ready that it had been there…waiting for me. The texter had gotten in twice…and that frightened me.

* * *

School passed by in a soundless blur with teachers giving out more study notes. It was only as I was walking into Biology that Mr Donovan beckoned me up to the top of class. I walked up without putting down my bag and he brought me outside. I followed him as he led the way to a smaller classroom that had been used for storage. Mrs D was already in there and she looked worried.

"Mrs Dawson is here to make you feel at ease, Melissa," Mr Donovan said before he pulled at his hair, "we received a phone call five minutes ago from your mother."

"Oh?" I asked.

"I'm sorry to tell you, Melissa Gilbert," Mr Donovan said with a sigh, "but there has been an incident. Your sister was outside playing…and a car came out and hit her. Your mum said she was on the pavement…"

The words after that meant little; my ears were simply not accepting them. Sarah had been hurt, by some stupid driver. My little sister…

"They brought her to the hospital…but there was nothing they could do for her…your mum said she was DOA," Mr Donovan continued as I dropped to my knees. The texts floated through my head as I saw them for the threats they were. If I had met them at midnight, Sarah would be alive. They wanted me to see what they meant…and my baby sister…

"I made her a PBS," I whispered as I wiped my eyes of tears, "she was Princess Jasmine this morning."

"Oh Melissa," Mrs D said as Mr Donovan left for a moment, returning with Amber.

"Mel?" she asked and I turned to look at her, "what is it?"

"Sarah," I croaked and Amber sat down beside me and held me tight, "she's dead."

"Oh Mel," Amber whispered as she rubbed my back. A phone beeped and I felt the vibrations in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at it over Amber's right shoulder.

_You should have met up with me…Melly xxx_

I threw the phone away from me and screamed. Mrs D and Mr Donovan must have thought it was grief but that texter…he had done this. All because I didn't meet up with him. I sobbed into Amber's shoulder as Mrs D and Mr Donovan went to their respective classes. Eventually, Amber brought me to the class before lunch, when my mum said she was going to collect me and bring me home. I sat at my desk as Amber quickly told the others about Sarah. They had all met her at one point or another…and she was such a sweetheart.

"Sorry about your loss…"

"Poor Melissa…"

"How do you think they'll cope?"

"I heard it was a hit and run…"

The words blended together until I couldn't take it anymore. I got out of my chair and went down to the small courtyard in the centre of our school. I sat down at a bench and put my head in my hands. I couldn't stop seeing Sarah, her Jasmine costume stained red as the texter had said the other day.

"Did you hear about the Hell Correspondence?" I heard someone whisper.

"No," another girl said with a giggle.

"It's only active at midnight. You contact Hell Girl and she'll complete your revenge for you. I heard of a boy in the North, he died two days after he visited the site."

"You think it's like the movie…The Ring?" and the voices faded all together.

Hell Correspondence? I had never heard of it myself. But revenge seemed nice. Hurt the person who had killed my baby sister. Obviously this Hell Girl had a price for killing these people for you. It couldn't be a good-will gesture.

"What do I have to lose?" I whispered to myself.

* * *

I stared at my laptop screen, watching the bubbles start as my computer had been waiting for a command for the last ten minutes. I didn't have school tomorrow…or the day after for that matter. My mum had wanted me to have a chance to grieve alone.

I had excused myself for some private time, tired of hearing my mother crying and my father watching old videos of Sarah as Ariel the Little Mermaid. There were only so many times you could see her face and send yourself on a guilt trip.

"If it wasn't her, it would have been me," I whispered to myself.

My mother would have still sobbed, my dad would have watched old videos of me. Sarah would have been asking for me, wondering when I was coming home since my car would have no doubt been driven to the house by a police officer.

I moved the mouse and looked at the screen to see it was 23:59 exactly. One more minute and I would see if this Hell Correspondence was real. Not that I was holding out any hope as I tucked my legs up to my chin. I didn't even know the person's name…so what was I going to type? Writing 'Unknown' seemed rude but I couldn't write a name I didn't know. I had asked a few people in the lower years about the site and they had told me you type a name, and Hell Girl will help you. But you will die yourself at her hands…for your revenge to be complete.

The clock marked 0:00 perfectly so I reloaded the page. The screen went black and a spark of flame appeared before it too disappeared. A box opened with a simple instruction above.

"Type the name below," I whispered as I wrote, "help me."

I pressed enter and waited, wondering what I was expecting to see when a phone went off. I heard the tune again and pulled at my coat jacket and found the broken phone I had stashed there. The screen had a message lit up so I clicked on it.

The screen went bright red and the message was written in black. I stared at it for a moment, not really seeing the words as I gulped. I rubbed my eyes but the message was still there, still bright. I had made contact…was that a good thing?

"Your grievance shall be avenged, Hell Girl," I whispered to make sure I had seen it right.

* * *

I had to go to school the next morning to get books, desperate for something to do other than stare at old videos. I was in my ordinary clothes as I wiped my feet on the welcome mat.. I opened my locker and pulled out books at random, not sure what I was going to be reading over the next few days.

"What a lot of books," a boy said and I froze.

I closed my locker and looked at him. He looked about my age, and that was sixteen, with short brown hair. Part of his hair covered his left eye but his right was watching me, in bright green detail. He was wearing our school uniform with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Who are you?" I asked as I dropped my bag.

"Ms Henry sent me looking for you," he answered, "I have a huge problem with my art project. She thought…maybe you could help me?"

"But I'm working with…with Amber," I whispered and the boy chuckled slightly, "are you messing with me?"

"No," he replied, "and this is only temporary."

Could this be the texter trying to get me alone?

"Show me your phone," I said, my voice cracking a little.

"Love to, but never had one. Hated the contraptions when they were new," he replied as he started walking.

"Hey!" I snapped and ran after him.

"Wow, he's fast," I mumbled as I came to a stop at the stairs and wondered where he had gone.

The best bet was the art room and I wanted to know what he knew. I ran up the stairs up to the third floor that was mostly abandoned except for art. There was a kiln up here as well with a chimney that needed to be cleaned every few days. There were four art rooms but Ms Henry only owned one. I ran to the door and saw it was open wide.

"Hello?" I asked as I walked in…

* * *

I opened my eyes and saw red. The sun was setting and yet…it wasn't. It looked like someone had stuck it there. The water in front of the sun had a soft orange glow off it as I sat up. The grass felt normal but the moment I remembered that I had been in the Art Room…the texter came to mind. I screamed at the top of my lungs and stood before I started running.

I wasn't sure where I was going but I knew staying in one place for them to find me…that was worse. I ran past a small house because something told me to stay out. I kept running, not sure where else I could run before I tripped. Someone caught me and I hit out, trying to slap their hold of me away.

"Please," I begged, "please let me go."

"You're a feisty one," a boy said and I looked up to see the boy I had followed, "most people come here and they're crying."

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Tell me about your problem," a woman asked and I turned to see a beautiful woman, her hair like black and her eyes a bright green. She was wearing a dress off her shoulders, a kimono I thought for a moment.

"My problem?" I asked and she nodded, "oh, the texter."

"Texter?" the boy asked and I nodded.

"It started out sweet," I whispered as the boy put me sitting, "he would compliment me. I thought it was a young boy trying to talk to an older girl. But then…the texts got weirder. I think it's a he anyway. But then he…I was dating another guy at the time and he told me to break things off or he'd break me."

"What next?" the woman asked.

"He wanted to meet me at midnight," I replied, "to show me how deep his love was. I told him no, and he killed my sister. She was five years old."

I sobbed at that point, my heart breaking as I covered my eyes. Someone whistled and I looked up to see an elderly man looking me over. He was wearing an odd hat and a red scarf tied around his neck loosely. He reminded me of my grandfather.

"Is it really that bad?" he asked.

"He's made it that I can't…can't trust anyone. What if he hurts someone else I love to make me react? What if he comes after me? I don't want anyone else to end up like Sarah…my baby sister…"

"You've summoned me," a voice whispered and I turned to see a young girl near the old man. Her hair was pitch black and her eyes were bright red. She was wearing a strange school uniform and she wasn't smiling. She made my heart race as I gulped. Where exactly was I?

"My name is Ai," the girl stated calmly.

"I summoned you?" I asked her and she nodded, "you're the Hell Girl?"

"I think she finally understands," the boy said with a slight laugh.

"You summoned me," Ai repeated.

"Oh thank you," I whispered, "I'm so sorry. I don't know whose doing this to me. I wish I could give you a name."

"It will come up soon enough," the old man said simply.

"Has this person done anything else?" the woman asked.

"I broke my phone two days ago, and he got me a new one. He left it in my car, which was locked. He's broken into my room and taken my picture. I've changed my route home so many times that I've increased the amount of fuel I use but I'm certain I'm always followed. He knows my passwords for my social pages, and keeps changing my status to 'in a relationship' but it never gives a name."

"I want this to end," I continued, "I want him to be banished to hell for what he has done to me, to my family. My baby sister was only five and this idiot killed her because he wanted to meet me. Please…please help me."

Ai walked over to the old man as he wrapped the red scarf around his neck tighter before disappearing altogether. Ai dropped down and picked up a small doll made of black straw before walking back to me. I gulped at the sight of the doll, not sure what to do.

"This is for you," Ai whispered as she held out the doll to me, "if you truly wish revenge, just untie the scarlet thread from around his neck. That's all," she said as I took the doll, "by pulling the scarlet thread, you will bind us into a covenant. I will find this person and ferry their soul into hell. However, once vengeance has been served, you will then have to deliver your own end of the bargain."

I looked down at the doll and touched the scarlet thread. I could make all of this end; I could make the texter suffer horribly. I could make sure my sister was avenged for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I clutched the doll a little tighter as I remembered seeing my father, his eyes vacant as he watched Sarah parade around the house.

"There always has to be a price," Ai whispered, "so your soul will also belong to hell."

"Of course, not until after you die," the boy said calmly.

"I knew there would be a price," I whispered as I stood to my full height which was an inch taller than Ai, "and if this person gets what he deserves, I'll pay it."

"You will never know the joys of heaven," the woman whispered, "you will be made to wander through a world of pain and agony. There to remain for all of eternity."

The ground rippled around me as hands shot up and held me tight. I shook my head as I looked at Ai. I didn't care where my soul went, as the hands held me tighter, voices screamed at me. I kept my gaze on hers. I closed my eyes after a moment as one hand circled around my face and I felt like I was falling. I opened my eyes and saw I was on the art room floor.

I lifted my hand to see the black straw doll and touched the small string around his neck. I put it on my chest as I stayed where I was. I might not be scared of hell…but was this what I wanted? Did I want to banish this person to hell? Make them suffer a fraction of the pain I had heard of in the stories?

"And now," I heard Ai whisper, "the decision rests with you."

* * *

I got into my car, my book bag behind me as I put the doll on the passenger chair. I attached the seatbelt, not sure why but I did anyway. I pulled out of the school and went straight to a small ice cream parlour. Mum might want something sweet so I would buy their homemade vanilla.

I ordered a gallon when a phone went off. I pulled my phone from my pocket, but it wasn't the broken one. I rummaged through my bag until I found the small pink phone. It hadn't been there earlier as I flipped it open.

_Meet me at midnight… xxx_

I shook my head as I looked at the cracked screen. I had thrown it yesterday, I reminded myself. How had he gotten this phone into my bag? I gulped at the thought but no sooner had my heart started racing that my order was called. I picked up the ice-cream and left the shop. Did I want to meet them? No, was my answer. I texted that and got a quick reply…

_You never learn, my love xxx_

I put the phone in my car and decided to go straight home. Mum was in the kitchen cooking so I put my bag down and stuck the ice-cream into the freezer. Dad had moved on to baby pictures and I went in to hug him. The doll was safely stashed into my bag as I looked at Sarah aged two months. Dad's phone beeped and he pulled it out to look at.

"It's Martin," he said calmly as he got up and went to the front door, "did you get my message…?"

The rest of the words became a blur of sound as I lifted up the pictures…and dropped them. There was a picture of Sarah and me, each dressed as a princess. I had been going to a cheering contest and the theme had been princesses. My dress had been hot pink with a lot of skin on show. Sarah had been Merida from Brave, with the wig included so she looked crazy. This picture was not the one I remembered, as my face had been scratched out.

It was then I heard the screech of tires and turned to look outside. I ran out, leaving the door open wide to see a black sedan speeding away. A man lay on the road, his body contorted as I ran to him.

"Daddy?" I called out as I got closer.

Dad's eyes were closed and his head was bleeding badly. I screamed as I leaned forward to find his pulse, to find anything to say my dad was still alive. The phone near him beeped before it died.

"Melissa?" Mum called out as she got closer, "Daniel?"

She dropped to her knees beside me as I screamed. Mum called for an ambulance and they arrived ten minutes later. I was getting sick of this…and I got into my car to follow them, taking the doll with me. I would make this stop…

* * *

"Your father has suffered a severe head injury," the doctor said rather calmly, "and I am sorry to tell you both that because of this, he is brain-damaged."

"Will he wake up?" Mum asked.

"Mum," I whispered as she sobbed.

I stood and left the room, leaving her there as the doctor followed me. I stood in the hall with my small clutch under my arm. The doll was safely inside, the scarlet thread still wrapped around his neck.

"Miss Gilbert, the damage was too severe," the doctor whispered to me, "he won't be waking up."

"Life-support?" I asked and he nodded.

The doctor walked off and I stayed where I was. All of this was because I wouldn't meet him. My sister…now my dad. Mum couldn't take much more of this; it would end up killing her. I walked away from the room as I made my way up to the roof. There was a small garden up there, covered with roses. I sat down on one of the benches since it was empty. I opened my purse and took the doll out to hold.

"I could make this stop," I whispered as I looked down at the doll, "I could make him suffer."

"But they need a name," I continued as I took a deep breath, "and there's only one way I know to find that out."

My phone beeped and I lifted it up to see it was him. I took a deep breath before I hit the reply key.

Meet me at midnight xxx

Where?

How about the old boat on the outside of town?

It's a date xxx

I looked down at the doll again and clasped the red thread of his neck between two of my fingers. I was scared now, but if this creep was gone…

I pulled the thread quickly and closed my eyes. A strong breeze rushed around me and the doll was pulled from my fingers. I waited until the breeze was gone before I opened my eyes, seeing the red thread was all that remained.

"Your grievance shall be avenged," a voice called out and I lifted the thread to look at. I tied it quickly around my wrist to remind me, that this guy would die…

* * *

I had waited until ten to midnight before I left my mum at the hospital. She didn't want to go home, and I could see why. She didn't want to see their ghosts, the memories she had of Dad and Sarah. I told her I would pick her up a few things and be back before one…I hoped.

I got into my car, feeling the thread around my wrist as I started my car. I had put on my denim shorts and a red off the shoulder jumper. My sandals wouldn't look out of place on the beach, which was where the boat was. It was known as the Boat of Woe, because ten people died on it years ago. Dad had known the full story and I had never asked him for it. Sarah had asked but Dad had said she wasn't old enough.

"And now she'll never hear it," I said as I gritted my teeth.

I parked my car near the boat, leaving the headlights on as I got out of the car. I closed the door, before I decided to turn off the headlights and keep my keys on me. I went down to the boat to see a small note. My keys had a light on it so I read the words

_Only a little further…and then I'll show you undying love… xxx_

I looked to the ground and saw footsteps. I followed them to a small shed near the beach where some guys drank the night away. I stepped in; making sure the door was open behind me before it slammed shut. I dropped my light before I picked it up.

"Pretty Melly, pretty Melly, whose hair looks like starlight…" a voice whispered.

I shun the light over all the surfaces, wondering where the voice was coming from. I saw him then. His head was covered by a black hood and his face was shrouded in darkness. He looked built up as he put a gloved hand out to me. I stayed where I was with the light on him, making sure he didn't move.

"Who are you?" I asked and he sighed under his breath.

"I thought you'd recognise me," he said simply, making me see it was indeed a guy, "I was always there. I saw the day you got your tattoo; the day you got that A in Biology…I was there for it all."

"What do you want with me?" I asked and he looked up, and I saw the crop of his blond hair. I had seen him before…

"I knew you loved me," he said simply, "I could see it in everything you did. You waved to me; you blew a kiss to me during the basketball game. I knew it was true love…but then you dated Josh."

"What's Josh got to do with any of this?" I asked.

"He stole you!" the boy snapped, "You just had to hang out of his arm, kiss him in front of me. I thought it was a test, to show me how much I adored you. But then you went on dates with him."

"You followed us?" I asked.

"I was so annoyed!" he snapped as he kicked at a loose piece of flooring, "you were cheating on me with a moron!"

"Josh isn't a moron!" I snapped back.

"So I had to show you what it meant to cheat on me," he said simply, "I wanted to show you how deep my love ran. So I changed your status for you, to tell Josh the truth. But you put it back, and I knew you couldn't see. So I bought you presents but you just threw them away."

"The phone?" I asked and he nodded, "it went missing during the night."

"You looked so sweet in your sleep…but you called out for Josh," and he turned to glare at me, "and I knew you hadn't learned. So I went to your house…and she was there. She was like Amber had been for that princess cheering contest…so I painted her a beautiful red."

"Tell me your goddamn name!" I snapped and he started laughing.

He turned to face me and lifted his hands to take down his hood. I saw the blond hair that was tied into a small ponytail, and I knew him. His eyes had been covered with contacts for years, mixing colours. Amber had said it was disgusting, Veronica had suggested he didn't know how to fit in.

"Robert Goldberg," I whispered as I took a step back.

"Melissa….sweet Melissa Gilbert," Robert said as he walked closer, "I've finally got your attention."

I screamed at the top of my lungs and turned to run. I got the door open and ran out across the beach. Robert Goldberg was the son of Mrs Goldberg, the PE teacher in our school. Cheerleaders didn't need to go to PE considering we did it anyway. I had seen him in Biology, seen him on my way out of the old classroom on Amber's arm. He had watched me…for months. He thought there had been a relationship, that my kiss, the one I had given to the school in general, was for him alone.

I heard a gun go off and turned to see he was running after me. I screamed again and got to hard ground before I broke out in a run. Someone was at the bottom of the street and held me tight as I screamed.

"Melissa," the voice said softly.

I saw the police uniform and felt like sobbing. I looked up into the face, prepared to tell him exactly what I had heard when I recognised him. He was the boy who had brought me to Ai, and now he was the one who had saved me.

"Thank you," I croaked and he nodded, "but why?"

"Your soul belongs to Miss Ai," he answered as he looked over my shoulder, "and she wouldn't let you die before she had ferried his soul to hell. She can't claim you before then."

The boy brought me to my car and checked it out to make sure it was only me in it. When he gave me the all clear, I got in and drove away. When I looked back he was gone. I guess he was only her servant…and he had saved me. I looked down at the red ribbon, seeing it as a life ring. Ai wouldn't let me die.

"Now you have a name…Robert Goldberg," I said as I drove to an all-night supermarket, "please help me."

* * *

(Robert's POV)

That cop had just stood there, staring at me so I had hidden my mother's gun and run back to the shed. I had watched as he brought her to her car and looked for me. I listened for her to leave and smiled.

"I love her," I whispered as I stepped out into the evening air, "and I'll show her undying love."

I had gone into town and found a red rose, cut it and put it in her room. I then left and wondered what else I could do to show her I loved her. My stomach growled and I knew I wouldn't get the answer while I was hungry.

"Home then," I said to myself as I climbed out of her window.

I walked home as it was only a few houses down from hers. I had borrowed a car for her dad…to teach my love a lesson. I opened the front door of my home and stepped in to hear my mum playing Fergie.

"Ma!" I called out.

I could smell her fried chicken so I went to the kitchen. But the woman there wasn't my mother. She had soft blonde hair that curled at her waist and when she looked at me, she had bright grey eyes like Sarah Gilbert's. Her hair was the exact image of Melly's and she was in my kitchen.

"Murderer," she croaked as she held out a knife and pointed it towards me, "you killed my daughter and my husband."

She took a step and turned into a puddle on the floor. I heard a soft giggle from behind me and saw Melissa's retreating form. She had come to me so I followed her. She walked outside and I followed to see her alone.

"Melissa," I said softly but she ran on, a giggle rising as she moved from in front of me to go over a gate into my dad's garden. My parents were separated but he stayed next door for me.

I ran after her and saw a little girl, Sarah, looking up with a smile on her face. She walked over to me and put a hand over my heart. I reached out to wrap my hands around her throat when she stuck her hand into my chest. I screamed and threw her away, only to see Melissa moving to go inside of the house.

"Dad!" I snapped and ran in to see Melissa was in the living room.

"Does my love repulse you?" her voice echoed.

"No," I replied and she put her hand behind her, "I knew you loved me."

The world turned fuzzy until I saw my father where Melissa had stood, only he was looking outside. A version of myself came down the stairs to sneak outside, even though he was watching me get into his car. A black sedan that I had borrowed to teach Melissa a lesson. The memory ran forward until I was coming back into the house.

"You dented my car," Dad said as he looked out the window.

"Doesn't matter!" I snapped at him, "she still doesn't understand!"

The memory faded and the room was painted orange. I looked around and saw Melissa running outside again. I followed and caught her hand before she left.

"Stop running," I whispered to her before I turned her to face me.

I screamed when I saw the faceless Melissa, her hair cut by her fringe but there were no eyes…she looked like a monster. Behind her, her sister moved back into the house with her father. The sister had cuts along her face and the princess outfit she wore was shredded. The father had a hole in his head as well as tyre marks on his chest.

"Confess," Sarah whispered as Melissa faded. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Melissa, her eyes bright but sad.

"You killed them," she whispered.

"You can't prove it!" I snapped at her, "you didn't, nor did anyone else, see what I did."

"I saw," Sarah whispered, "Daddy saw…"

"You're both dead!" I snapped and Melissa shook her head.

"Daddy…isn't dead yet," she whispered.

"But I…"

"Have you learned your lesson yet?" a woman's voice asked and I looked for her. It took me a moment to see it was Melissa. Melissa shook out her hair and I saw a young woman dressed in a kimono.

"You're not Melissa," I whispered and she smirked.

While I had been focused on her, Sarah and Melissa's dad had faded. In their places stood an elderly man and a young man. I recognised the latter…

"You were the cop," I said as I put my back against the wall, "which means Melissa lied. She loves me really."

"I take it we're not getting a confession from you," the cop said.

"There's nothing to confess to!" I snapped, "the only thing I will say is how much I love Melissa."

"There you have it, Miss," the cop said rather calmly as he motioned for someone else to come in.

I turned to see a girl, dressed in a black kimono with beautiful flowers sewn on. Her hair was pitch black and her eyes were bright red. Her lips were painted a pale pink and she appeared to be the same height as my Melissa.

"Oh pitiful shadow lost in the darkness, bringing torment and pain to others. Oh damned soul wallowing in your own sin, perhaps it is time to die," the girl said as she lifted her right arm.

A bell chimed, the flowers on the kimono shimmered and appeared to move. They covered my eyes, until I felt faint. I fell to my knees as I went blind, screaming. I felt hands on me and then that faded.

* * *

I opened my eyes and found myself on a boat. I sat up and looked down into the water, seeing small lanterns floating around. The boat was moving so I looked for the oar…but there was nothing but the girl.

"What am I doing with you?" I asked her and she stared straight ahead, guiding the boat onwards, "what's going on?!"

I heard something snap and caught my hands. I looked and saw Sarah Gilbert smiling at me as she squeezed my wrist tighter. She caught my ankles and my waist to smile at me, her grey eyes glowing softly.

"This is vengeance," the girl said rather calmly, "so I'm to ferry you to hell…"

* * *

(Melissa's POV)

*…One month later…*

I looked out my window, driving slowly to see my old school. I had long since left it, having finished the summer tests and then gone somewhere else. My new school was thirty eight miles away, in a new town and a new house. I looked to my left to see my mother was catatonic still.

Before the exams had started, I had finished my English essay; the one I hadn't known how to start. But my experiences with Robert had given me inspiration. I had detailed my time, using fake names and different characters. Mr Madison had said it was dark, and he had heard a lot about the rumour on the Hell Girl. But he said it was a good work of fiction…if only he knew…

"The Covenant?" Mr Madison had asked and I nodded, "what a peculiar title."

"It suited it somehow," I had said simply.

I had dedicated it to my sister and father before handing up for correction. Dad had been on life-support for weeks but doctors had said there was no hope of him waking up. They had told us the damage had been far too great. So with my mother's permission, they had unplugged him. His funeral had been a week ago, and he was buried beside Sarah. That was also the reason why we were leaving. Mum couldn't take living in our house anymore.

"We'll start fresh," I whispered to her as she looked out the window.

A beep on my gauge told me I was about to run out of petrol. I pulled over into a petrol station and undid the cap to start pouring fuel. I had enough to get us to the new home so I waited. I took a deep breath and looked down at the spot over my heart, a small flame like icon surrounded by a circle. My covenant with Ai…and I was hers once I died.

"Thank you," I whispered as I fixed my jumper and paid the petrol attendant.

It was over; Robert Goldberg would never come looking for me again. He was suffering in hell at the moment for what he had done to us. I got back into the car and felt myself smile. I reached out and caught my mum's hand, squeezed it tight before I pulled away and started the drive away.

A new beginning started when I passed the town's limits…

* * *

**So what did you all think? Did you like Melissa's character? Please review or PM with your thoughts. Thanks for reading :)**


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